MANILA: Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang arrived in Manila on Friday for a two-day visit aimed at strengthening ties with the Philippines. The visit coincides with the largest-ever joint military exercises between the United States (US) and the Philippines, with nearly 18,000 troops taking part in live-fire and combat drills until April 28.
Qin is scheduled to meet with Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos on Saturday following an initial meeting with his Philippine counterpart Enrique Manalo.
The Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that “regional security issues of mutual concern” would be part of the discussions, as well as strengthening cooperation in agriculture, trade, energy, and infrastructure.
Chinese FM’s visit aims to build trust
The territorial conflicts in the South China Sea have created tension between China and the Philippines, with Beijing claiming most of the waterway and ignoring a 2016 international tribunal ruling that its claims have no legal basis.
To improve relations and address differences, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s successor, Qin Gang, will visit the Philippines. The visit aims to build mutual trust and strengthen communication between the two countries.
Qin’s visit follows Wang’s visit to the Philippines last year, where he described the election of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte as an opportunity to improve bilateral relations. However, Duterte has recently grown closer to the United States, with plans to meet US President Joe Biden next month to discuss ways to strengthen their alliance.
Qin’s visit will also build on Duterte’s visit to Beijing in January, where he and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed on a friendly handling of disputes. Despite this, Manila has filed multiple protests against China’s persistent and illegal presence in Philippine waters, including an accusation that a Chinese vessel used a military-grade laser light against a Philippine patrol boat.
Qin’s visit is expected to address the existing disputes between the Philippines and China regarding the territorial claims in the South China Sea. The visit comes at a time when the Philippines is strengthening its ties with the United States and expanding its military cooperation with the treaty ally.
